Time circuit-closer.



No. 840,562. PATBNTBD JAN.. 8, 1907.

W. s. CUTIIIIIE. TIME CIRCUIT CLOSER.

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N0. A840,562. PATENTED JAN. 8, 1907.

W. S. GUTI-IRIB.

TIME CIRCUIT CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29, 1905.

2 SHEETS*SHBET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFTE.

WILLLAM s. GUTHRIE, on TERRELL, TEXAS. Tame clacoITI-CLOSER.y

Specification of Letters Patent.

@atented Jan. 8, 1907.

Application filed August 29, 1905- Serial No. 276,233'. A

To all whom, t ntay concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM S. GUTHRIE, a I

wherein a number of clocks can e operated by a single electrical battery, the movements of such clocks being periodically eifected through the medium of an automatic circuit.

closer controlled in anovel and effective manner by a master time-movement or' clock.

The preferred embodiment of the invention and a modification of the secondary clock structure are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a master and a secondary clock, showing the connections between the same diagrammatically. Fig. 2 is adetail view of the circuit-closer and controlling means therefor, showing the parts in a position just prior to the operation of the circuit-closer. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the circuit-closer released. Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the secondary clock illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of said clock. Fig. 6 is a' detail sectional view taken substantially on the line ,6 ofFig.` 4. Fig. '7 is a 'sideelevation of a modifiedform of secondary clock. Fig. 8 is a sectional view therethrough. Fig. `9 is a diagrammatic view of another slight modiication of the invention.

Similar reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawn the embodiment illustrated the circuitcloser and master time-movement are designated generally by the reference-numeral 9, while a single secondary clock is shown generally at 10. The master-clock consists of a suitable frame 11, in which is mountedv an .or- ,dinary time-movement consisting of a driving-spring 12 and train of gearing 13, terminating in the usual escapement-wheel 14- and coperating dog member 15; In 'the l the motor, an

present embodiment one ofthe wheels 16 of the train of gearing 13 is arranged to rotate once a minute and is carried upon an arbor 1 7, said' arbor also carrying a cam 18, which cam 'thus has a complete revolution, once every minute. 4

Mounted in the frame 11 is a circuit-closingdevice which comprises a stationary contact element 19, supported on an insulatingblock 20, that, is secured, as-shown at 21, to

one corner of the frame, this contact element being held in place on the block 20 by a binding-screw 22. Coperating with the stationary contact element is an oscillatory contact element consisting of an arm 23, ivotally mounted between its ends in the rame, as shown at 24, and'carryinggat one end a leaf-spring 25, the free terminal of which is movable into and out .of engagementwith the stationary contact element 19. It will be noted that the secured end of the spring 25 is located in rear of the terminal of the arm and thatsaidterminal is free and is located beneath the free portion of the spring contiguous to the portion that engages the element 19. A spring 26 normally holds the arm 23 in a position to maintain the contactspring 25 out of engagement with the contact element 19. The oscillatory contact element is arranged to be automatically operated by'a motor consisting of a drivingspring 27, operating upon a train of gearing 28, journaled in the frame 11 at one side of the time-movement, said train of gearin including an arbor 29, that carries a whee 30, having peripheral teeth 31. The lower end of the swinging arm 23 of the oscillatory contact element is downturned and tapered, as shown at 32, being arranged to ride over the teeth 31 of the .wheel 30 and being, furthermore, yieldingly held in engagement with said teeth by the spring 26. I

The train of gearingvof the circuit-closer motor, furthermore, includes a gear-wheel 33, having sto ,projections 34 on one side, said wheel meshing with the inion 35 of a fan 36. A detent is em loyed fiir normally holding l consequently the circuit closer, .against movement. This detent consists` of a pivot shaft 37, journaled in the frame and, carryin an arm 38, provided with an offset free terminal 39, that rides upon the cam 18 ofthe time-movement shaft 17. The pivot shaft 37 furthermore, has rigidly se'- tact-spring 25 is in electrical communication I with a -suitable binding-post 44, grounded -I 25 with considerable force, and thereby i path o movement of the fan 36, so that the vsis cured thereto a pair of dogs, consisting of.

arms and 41, the arm 4() having a depending free terminal 42 ,that is movable into and out of the path of movement of the projections 34 ofthe motor-wheel 33, The other arm 41 has an olset free terminal 43, which in like manner is movable into and, out ofthe path of movement'of the lfan 36.

It is believed that the operation of the master-clock can now be 'made plain, it being first stated, however, that the swinging conupon the frame 11. Under normal conditions the terminal 42 of the dog 40 of the detent is located behind one of the projections 34 of the wheel 33 oi the circuit-closer motor. Consequently said motor is held against movement, and when so held the contact elements are out of engagement, as the terminal 32 of the swingingcontact element is located between the teeth 31 of 'the Wheel 30 The wheel 16, and consequently the arbor 17 carrying it, as already stated, is revolvei once yin every minute, and therefore asthe cain 18 is correspondingly rotated the arm 38 will be gradually depressed untilthe terminal 42 of the dog 40 is raised above the projection 34. The circuit-closer motor is thereupon released; but the elevation of the dog 41 with the do 40 carries the terminal 43 into the circuit-closer motor is again stopped as illusltrated in Fig. 2. As the cam 18 continues vto revolve, however, its part of greatest diameter williinally pass the oiset portion 39 ofthe arm 38, whereupon the dogs 40 and 41 will again drop, being actuated by the sprin 38a. This immediately releases the ian, an

conse uently lthe motor, permitting the wheel 33 toqhave one-half of a revolution, whereuponl the succeeding projection 34 will vengage theoiiset terminal 42 of the dog 40. During this one-half revolution of the wheel 33 the toothed wheel 30 will be partially rotat-ed. .1n other words, it will be movedvsufiiciently far to carry oneof the teeth beneath the odset terminal 32 et the arm 33. As a result said arm will be swung, and the s ring 25 will bebrought into engagement wit the contact element 19, thus c osing an electrical connection between the binding-posts 44 and 22. l The terminal 32 will, however, drop into the 'space4 between the succeeding teeth, and the contact will be Aagain broken, thus leaving the parts in the positions originally described, and shown in Fig. l from which positions they will be again operated by a continued rotation of` the cam. The action of the contacts durin this automatic operation is peculiarly e ective. In closing the circuit on the downward movement of the arm 23 the sprin will engage the element 19 before the arm as fully ac- ,illustrated in Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 6.

complished its movement. The result is that the spring has a sliding engagement with the contact 19, serving to maintain the surfaces in clean and .bright condition, vand thereby insuring eHective electrical contact between them. A further advantage resides inthe fact that the free end of the arm will be carried away from the spring, as shown in Fig. 3,V and consequently when the terminal 32 of vsaid arm is passed by the tooth of the wheel 30, vthat has. mowed said arm, the spring 26 will quickly return the arm, and the free end of said arm will strike the spring cause an exceedingly-rapid separation of the contacts.

One embodiment of the secondary clock is In this embodiment a simple frame 45 is employed, in which is ournaled an arbor 46, carrying a minute-hand 47 and also carrying a ratchet- Whe'el 48, provided with sixt y teeth 49. The

hand 47 is preferably counterbalanced'by a' weight 50., An hour-hand 51, carried by a l sleeve 52 loosely journaled on the shaft 46, is suitably geared. to said shaft, as shown at 53.

For the purpose of actuating the ratchetwheel 48, and 'consequently the hands, a double electromagnet 54 is suitably mounted in the frame 45,'and coperating vwith the poles 55 thereof are Swingin armatures 56, carried by a shaft 57. This s aft has rigidly fixed thereto an arm 58, on which is pivoted a weighted actuating-pawl 59, thatv actsupon the teeth 49 of the ratchet-wheel. The movement of the shaft 57 is limited by a iin- -ger 60, secured lto said shaft and engaging one vedge of the frame, as illustrated in Fi 5. A

pawl 65, pivotedupon the frame and yieldingly held in engagement withthe ratchetwheel by a spring 66, prevents retrograde movement on the part ot such wheel.. The

means for ener 'zing the magnets 54 is a battery, (shown iagrammatically at 67,) said battery having one pole connected to the electromagnets of a lead 68, the other pole bein connected to one of the binding-posts 22 o the master-'clock by a lead 69. lThe other binding-post 44 of saidmaster-clock is connected to the electromagnetsby a lead 70,' and thus the circuit is completed when 'the contact elements 19 and 20 are engaged.

1t is now thought that the operation of the system maybe readilycomprehended. Every minute the electric circuit is closed in the roo IIO

master-clock, as already fully described. Consequently the magnets 54 will be energized. This will cause the armatures 56 to swing, causing the pawl 59 toop'erate and move the ratchet-wheel 48 the distance of one tooth. This will move the hand 47 onesixtieth of a revolution, or", in other words, the distance of a one-minute space. When the arm 58 moves inwardly to carry thepawl 59 to actuate the ratchet-Wheel, 'the outer end of the arm 64 will of c ourse swing inwardly. Thiswillpermit the spring 63 to act uponl the stop-pawl 61, so that the tooth 62 will be carried lnto enga ement with the wheel, and the overthrow-o said wheel will be positively prohibited; As ysoon' as the contactis again broken in themaster-clock the armatures will return to' their normal positions, the stop-pawl l61` will be disengaged from the wheel bythe return of the arm 58, and the actuating-pawlwill ride overasingle tooth of the wheel andftake the proper position to a ain actuate'the same.: It thus beseen t at a plurality of electrically-oper-l ated secondary clocks of simple structure can be effectively controlled from a masterclock, which master-clock includes an automatically operated circuit closer of novel structure separate from ythe .time-movement and controlled thereb It will of course be understood that Whie only clock is shown in the'present system any de sired number may be employed, depending on thestrength of the battery or other source of electrical energy. i -Furthermore, While the hands of the secondary clocks in the present embodiment aremoved oncein every minute it will be readily seen that by simple and obvious alterations of the gearing the periodicity of movement may be'changed as'desired.

A slight Amodification of the secondary clock is illustrated in Figs,y 7 and 8, the only difference being in the electroma et and armature. The other parts have therefore been given those empldyed in.'Figs. 4 and 5. A single electromagnet 54a i's provided in, the modication, which magnet has a pole coperatin with a i'lat armature 56, that is secured to t e shaft I, 57 .A Otherwise the l"structure and the operation are exactlyr the same as in the embodiment already 'set forth, and any further description thereof ifs believed to be unnecessary. v t

From the foregoing it is thought that the constructiom operation, "and manyv advan tages of'the herein-described invention will be aiplparent to those skilled in the art with# out stood that various changes in thesize, shape, proportion, and minor details of eonstructlon may be resorted to Without departing from lthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. Thus the motors ofv the vscribed embodiment. however,-the cam 18a operates a lever 42a,

ldevice ofthe character herein one secondaryv the same reference-numerals as.

rther description, and it will be under- 'upon the movement of the arm and said free master-clock maybe run by weights instead of springs, as will be apparent, and while they are shown as ocated in a single frame it will be apparent that separate frames for each motor may be employed, the speciic mountings not being` particularly important. In this connection attention is invited to Fig. l9, wherein a time-movement l()a is shown having a cam 18a. A separate motoroperated circuit-closing device 19at is also shown, the time-movement and circuit-closing device being substantiallythe same as thosealreadydescribed, except that they are vseparately mounted in a common casingk 20a.

The detent foi-the motor 19a consists of an arm 38a and arms 40=I and 41E, corresponding in all respects to the detent In this structure,

ulcrurned between its ends, one end of said lever being connected by a link or wire 43a .with the arm 38a. It will be apparent that this structure operates the same as the iirstdescribed embodiment. Furthermore, the master-clock can be emplo ed` as a circuitclosing device for periodlca ly operating any variety'of devices wherein a described may be used and is not necessarily limited to employment in connection with secondary clocks. Y l Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'- 1,. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a circuit-.closer comprising Contact elements, a swinging arm, a

contact-spring secured to the arm between the ends thereof, one of the ends of said arm being free and disposed longitudinally of the s ring, said'spring movinginto and out of s iding engagement with the contact element u on the movement of the arm, and the end ci) said arm being movable away from and against the spring to eiiect its disengagement from the contact element, a motor tor eiiecting the swinging movement of the arm, means for holdin the motor against movement,.and means 01 intermittently releasing the motor.

2. vIn mechanism of the class described, the combination with a circuit-closer comlpI'lSing apcontact element, a swinging arm pivotally mounted between its ends, a contact-spring secured to the arm between the endsthereof, one of the ends of the armA being free and disposed longitudinally of the s ring, said spring moving into and out of s 'dingengagement with the contact element end of the'arm being movable a' .ay from and against the spring to eect the rapid disen gagement of the latter from the contact ele ment, a motor having an element that encircuit-closing of the iirstfde- Y IOC gages the other end of the arm to: that asso- In testimony that I claim the foregoing es oiated with the spring for eeoting the movemy own I have heiet'o affixed my signature 1n ment of the arm, a detent foi' holding the the' presence of two Witnesses.

motor against movement, andmeans for inl WILLIAM S. GUTHRIE.

termittently aotuating the'detent and the'vre- Witnesses: by permitting the intermittent movement of I T. K. GRIFFITH, the motor. NL W. RALEY. 

